March 14, 2019 Newsletter

Honeycrisp and Granny Smith Available

While much of the apple industry is starting to feel the tightening of a short crop year, Chelan Fresh is looking forward with anticipation. With their strong forecasting program and key Category Management, Chelan Fresh plans to have mainstay varieties like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples available throughout the summer months.

According to Sales Director Tim Evans, “When you are one of the top producers of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples from Washington State, you plan from the start to supply a steady stream of these varieties for top customers and new accounts. We are thrilled to see our pack outs remain strong for these key varieties and our quality coming out of storage is second to none. Eating quality is equally fantastic!”

In addition, the Rockit® apples continue to create excitement across the industry. The 3lb Shuttle Pack, dubbed the “Millennial Mom’s Cookie Jar”, is quickly becoming the favorite snack pack among moms and grandparents. The Rockit® 2lb pouch bag is also available as an option for those wanting slightly less fruit.

As Chelan Fresh continues to be a leader in Category Management, they are set up to help customers make the most of their apple and pear sales. They continue to welcome the opportunity to meet new customers while maintaining solid relationships with their existing retail partners. Evans says “Our Chelan Fresh team is set up to help your retail buying team succeed! Call us today and start to build your program of quality fruit and customer service with Chelan Fresh.”

Meet The SugarBee® Grower Tour

On a cold wintry morning in December, a group of Chelan Fresh staff, Growers and a mascot set out on the inaugural “Meet the SugarBee® Grower” tour of the 2018 season. The idea was not only to promote SugarBee® apples but invite consumers to connect with Growers and learn what it takes to produce this special variety.

We knew our Chelan Fresh staff could chat with anyone about apples, but we had no idea what would happen when you take 4th and 5th generation Growers out on the road to discuss farming. They are a passionate group of people who love to talk about what they do and why they continue to farm year after year. These growers get excited when consumers sample the apples they have grown and tended for the last year and the consumer says “SugarBee® is my new favorite apple, even better than Honeycrisp!”. Some growers take so much pride in their apples, they send 30 lb boxes of SugarBee® as Christmas gifts to friends and relatives.

The SugarBee® mascot made an appearance at most of these events and delighted consumers both young and young at heart. Secret smiles were shared when a mom, dad or grandparent was seen taking a selfie with SugarBee® to show their kids back at home. These groups of SugarBee® road warriors made stops in Southern CA, Northern CA, Portland OR, Seattle WA, Spokane WA, Vancouver WA, Bentonville & Fayetteville AR, Carlisle PA, and Landover MD throughout December, January and February. SugarBee® even had its own float in a parade.

Thank you to all the retailers who participated and consumers who showed our new SugarBee® apple some love. We think it is the best “Sweet as can Bee” apple on the market today. We look forward to the Fall 2019 crop and hope our 2019/20 Meet the SugarBee® Grower tour will land in a store near you.

Apple, Wine and Cheese Pairing

Chelan Fresh apples are meant to eaten but are also great when paired with other foods. Chef Meg Raines took some time recently to dive into the flavors of KORU®, Rockit® and SugarBee® apples and gives us suggestions on how to pair them with your favorite cheeses and wines. She explains these pairings in a recent “To the Core” blog post:

KORU® cheese and wine pairings

KORU® apples are crisp, sweet and juicy with complex aromatic honey flavors. These qualities make it ideal for snacks, baking, and beverages. It’s also wonderful used raw in fresh salads.

KORU® is a natural choice for cheese pairings where it plays best with salty goat and ewe’s milk cheeses like feta, Humboldt Fog or Pecorino. Pair your KORU® and cheese tasting with a crisp off-dry Gewürztraminer or Riesling that will balance well with the salty cheeses.

Rockit™cheese and wine pairings

Rockit™apples are miniature apples with a crunchy, sweet and delicious taste. They have just the right balance of sweetness and acidity to make a perfect on-the-go-snack. This also makes them great apples for baking and cooking.

Why not make a cheese and apple tasting for the whole family by pairing Rockit™apples with kid-friendly cheeses like Babybel, string cheese, cream cheese and mild cheddar? Mom and dad can pair theirs with a crisp dry Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay to complement the selection of mild and creamy cheeses.

SugarBee® cheese and wine pairings

SugarBee® apples are juicy and aromatic with just the right amount of sweetness. This versatile apple variety works beautifully in baked sweet or savory recipes but is just as charming consumed raw.

Stronger firm and semi-firm cheeses like smoked gouda, sharp cheddar or aged mimolette contrast with the sweet snap of SugarBee® apples. Pair this combo with a big bold wine, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, that will hold its own against the strong cheeses.